Late Brad Davis goal lifts Houston Dynamo to CCL victory

Corey Ashe and the Dynamo beat Santos Laguna 1-0 Monday at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston.

Bob Levey/Getty Images

HOUSTON (AP) - Brad Davis scored in the 89th minute to give the Houston Dynamo a 1-0 lead over Santos Laguna after the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal series Tuesday night.

The second leg of the quarterfinal series is March 13 at Estadio Corona in Torreon, Mexico, with the winner of the aggregate scoring going on to face the winner of the Tigres UANL-Seattle Sounders quarterfinal in the semifinal.

Corey Ashe fed Davis at the upper left box, he settled it and shot a dribbler through the box that found the inside of the near post to give the Dynamo a 1-0 lead.

Houston nearly took the lead in the 19th minute, but off a corner kick, Bobby Boswell's header from the center was blocked on the end line by teammate Warren Creavalle.

Santos Laguna missed several opportunities high in the following two minutes, with Darwin Quintero blasting one over the crossbar from just outside the upper box, and Oribe Peralta sending a header high from 12 yards out in the middle.

The Dynamo had another chance in the 22nd minute with Santos goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez off his line, but Giles Barnes' blooper from 30 yards out went over the net.

Peralta had an opportunity in the 58th minute, but his right-footed shot from 12 yards out bounced right to Houston goalkeeper Tally Hall, who corralled it after a bad bounce.

Boswell had another opportunity for Houston in the 68th minute, but his header from outside the 6-yard box off a Davis free kick was grabbed by Sanchez to keep it scoreless.